Discovering India

Sam Bleakley, taking a clean line at the Temple Slab. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

With a decent Arabian Sea beachbreak within walking distance, Emiliano Cataldi makes the most of the pre-monsoon windswell and incoming tide. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Until 1961, when the Indian Army marched in and took possession, Diu Island was sovereign Portuguese territory for more than 450 years. This legacy of culture and architecture is still very much in evidence. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Sam Bleakley, busting out his fins at the beachbreak and in front of one of the many mosques in Diu Town. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

At over 40c (104f) every day, the pre-monsoon heat was brutal. Walking back from the beachbreak took a major effort, although only 20 minutes along the road. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Diu Fort is a massive Portuguese-built edifice complete with well-preserved iron cannon, Catholic chapels, a moat and a functioning jail with two long-serving prisoners. There is a good right reef setup right out front, which we would have ridden if not for a threat of arrest by the local police if we tried to surf it. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

BayBay Niu is one of Taiwan's top surfers and welcomed the chance to travel to India for some new waves. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

There are no maps of spots or surfguides for Diu Island. If you want to surf, you have to find the waves yourself. When a strong 16-second period groundswell arrived from the high latitudes of the Indian Ocean, this slab reef in front of a Hindu temple started showing. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

The Portuguese built several monumental Catholic churches in Diu. This one is now the Diu museum. BayBay and Valentina testing out a local motorcart at the night market. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Emi Cataldi works the windswell beachbreak on the incoming tide. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

One of several Catholic chapels inside Diu Fort and the magnificent architectural heritage of Diu Town, slowly dissolving in the humid monsoon climate. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Erwan Simon from France, getting air at the beachbreak and rehydrating with fresh coconut water. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Erwan Simon at the right point of Diu Head, on the mainland not far from Diu Island. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Emiliano Cataldi in sequence at the right point at Diu Head, using the juice of a 16 second long-period Indian Ocean groundswell. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Emi takes advantage of the occasional left of the peak at Diu Head and refuels with almonds and figs in Diu Town. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Diu Head was an all-day adventure, complete with bad roads, dust, heat, Indians, and a considerable amount of hiking. The tranquility and empty point waves made it worthwhile. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Erwan Simon, hitting the lip at Diu Head after several days of beachbreak windswell. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

As the groundswell filled in and the morning offshore wind held, things started getting interesting. Emi Cataldi lines up a wall. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Diu locals who generally have no ocean experience and have never seen surfers before came out to watch at the Temple Slab. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Emi Cataldi with a clean cutback at the Temple Slab. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

Emi Cataldi with a barrel at the Temple Slab - when's the last time you saw a barrel sequence from mainland India? Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore

In the middle of the Indian Ocean, perhaps the best and most consistent ocean to be a surfer, lies the subcontinent of India. Long overshadowed by neighboring countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka, India has only recently begun to show her charms in a surfing context.

While the Andaman and Laccadive Islands and portions of the mainland like Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh and Karnataka have been surfed, the vast portion of mainland India has largely been a mystery for surfers. Poor infrastructure, high costs, impenetrable local cultures along with uncertain swell and weather have put off many would-be surf adventurers from mainland India, but that is starting to change.

A recent surfEXPLORE project to the former Portuguese colony of Diu, an island on the west coast exposed to pre-monsoon windswell from the Arabian Sea and long-period groundswell from the Indian Ocean, found a plethora of unridden waves. With many hotels and a big holiday beach at Nagoa, Diu has long been a popular vacation destination for Indians. Now it may become one of India’s most popular surfing areas as well.